1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with an improved, tiltable vehicle support stand, and a corresponding method, which greatly facilitates work on and around four wheel vehicles. More particularly, it is concerned with such a support stand which is especially designed to be particularly stable during use thereof, and which can be used to set up a vehicle without the usual time-consuming procedures of conventional supports.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automobile repair shops and others many times need to elevate vehicles a short distance off the ground in order to facilitate various repairs and servicing. For example, tire changes and certain work beneath the vehicle (usually done with the aid of a low profile dolly) require that the vehicle be elevated off a shop floor.
The conventional practice in this regard is to initially elevate the front, rear or one side of the vehicle using an end lift or service jack, followed by positioning of a pair of individual stands under the elevated part of the vehicle adjacent the elevated wheels. This procedure is then repeated on the opposite end or side of the vehicle in order to completely elevate the latter off the shop floor. A number of problems arise in connection with this conventional procedure. Governmental regulations generally require positioning of stands under a vehicle as safety devices, even if the jack used to lift the vehicle is left in place. To be effective though, they must be properly located and adjusted to positions just below the overlying structure. But, because of the trouble in locating and positioning the stands, mechanics often ignore the safety aspects of the stands in favor of saving time and simply leave the vehicle on the jack or jacks without underlying stands. When stands are used to support the vehicle so the jack or jacks can be used elsewhere, the individual support stands must be even more carefully placed beneath the vehicle in order to ensure that the vehicle is evenly supported. In addition, the effective heights of the support stands must be precisely adjusted so that the vehicle is stable in its elevated position, particularly if the shop floor is uneven. It will also be appreciated that these steps of positioning and adjustment of the respective stands must be performed from a rather awkward position adjacent or beneath the vehicle. Hence, support of a vehicle in an elevated position using conventional stands has proven to be a time-consuming and sometimes difficult task.